Thursday, August 18, 2011

I'm still alive...I think...

Ack! My camera started mysteriously working again so fortunately I put off trying to fix it. I always get so annoyed with electronics when they don't work, I then start yelling at said electronic device and then Mark thinks he did something wrong so he'll go cower in a corner somewhere. I do grumble and yell to myself a lot so he should be used to it. I will someday be that crazy lady in those oh-so-comfy looking stretchy knit pants talking to herself while picking out cat food at Wal-Mart.
Any who, I'm so far behind in random things I've been thinking about posting I don't know where to start. Another reason I have been procrastinating. It's getting worse so I figure I better just post something...anything. So here it goes, bathroom floor pictures. Yay! Between trips to Denver and other summer activities it has been slow going but it is going. 


 This is what we started with. Gross carpet from circa 1981 (someone initialed and dated the toilet) and some odd painted knotty pine wainscoting which looks better in this photo than it did in real life.

The bathtub got moved across the bathroom since it wouldn't fit out the door and we are left with the last square of carpet, asbestos tiles and the rotten floor boards. 

The rotten and smelly floor is gone. Fortunately the previous renovators got rid of the asbestos flooring in this area for us! 

We replaced their pieced together boards with one large board.

 The cement board on top of that

And finally the tile! Note the asbestos tiles are now securely hidden under a layer of tile and boards. I'm not messing with removing that stuff.
And yes, this is all I have done so far...Remember my "plumber" has been in Colorado and working on the attic floor of his house.
I was hoping to get the tub back in and started on the rest of the floor this last weekend but oh yeah, what about my walls? I can't put the tub back without wall covering. We did buy wainscoting and a toilet this weekend so we did accomplish something.


I didn't get the antique toilet I have been wanting but this has a cute old timey look to it so I it will do.  It was probably cheaper and will flush better? I don't know about the flushing part but it might use a little less water anyways. It has to flush better than our current toilet. I  like the side flushy though I am picturing myself scraping unmentionable grime out of the ridges on the bottom.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Technical Difficulties

I am still alive but am experiencing technical difficulties in that my computer and my camera have decided they hate each other. My camera is showing up as existing when plugged into my computer but either it refuses to give my computer the pictures or my computer is choosing to ignore it. Anyways my camera probably needs to be reinstalled and yelled at repeatedly before it starts to function properly again. Argh!

Friday, June 17, 2011

"New" Furniture

I haven't caught up with posting things about my last Denver trip yet I will be on my way back this weekend to finish up the cleaning and estate sale. I haven't found a home for everything yet either but here is the furniture I do have organized which I haven't posted pictures of yet. Included is the Lane dining set with the brochure here.

The "new" dining room set with one leaf in to accommodate all of the chairs.It includes 2 or 3 more leafs so we should be set dinner party wise.

The chairs still have all of their original vinyl in near mint condition. 

the buffet (I'm still working on the knick-knack arrangement)

and the couch. I didn't buy the rug with it in mind but it conveniently matches as does the tiled coffee table. How did that one work out??

Snowflake Pyrex

I usually never stop at garage sales on the way home from work mainly because I just want to get home and also what is left at 4pm? Today while driving home my gut instinct told me to stop at this one. "Ugh, but it's 4 and this garage sale is right off 56th St so surely nothing of interest is left." Then something said "Turquoise Pyrex!!" Me "umm, I doubt it. I rarely find turquoise Pyrex" but I stopped anyways and low and behold sitting on the table in perfect condition for $2:

Snowflakes! It's the only pattern I claim to collect - besides the Butterprint. Yes, both patterns are turquoise-y in color.

 I even cleaned it and found a home for it already!

I also found:
A crazy 1970's architecture textbook
and
Again, I'm a sucker for anything with this color. PLUS it has harvest gold so it should look lovely in my kitchen if I can find a spot for it...

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Lane Perception Brochure

I had this scanned a while ago but I got to the last page and noticed a piece of cat fur on the scan. I went back to scan it again and yep, the program froze and all of the pictures were lost so (after a few choice words) I got disgusted and left the room. I'm happy to say I finally rescanned them and they are ready to post! Unfortunately I have now had the dining room set up for too long so the table has become cluttered with mail and such and I don't have a picture of it yet so I will just have to post it later.Though you can see it in its original habitat here.
 This is the tag from the dining room set which my grandma carefully tucked in the drawer. 



If only they had decided to get the hutch along with the buffet I would have a huuge area to display my vintage dish addiction. 


For a minute I thought maybe they accidentally bought a dresser but the buffet does have silverware drawers so that eliminates that theory. I still want the hutch for the top!

I didn't know so much Perception furniture existed. I guess you could furnish the whole house.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Quirky Confident Poodles

While doing some thrifting in Denver I happened across these guys:

I was laughing so much they had to come home with me! The boy poodle is my favorite with his confident hello and pink fur.

At first I thought they were homemade but upon further inspection we discovered what I can only assume is the remains of a May's Department store tag on the back.

So now I really want to go back in time and see how these were displayed at the fancy department store and I'm also curious about the buyer. Husband: "So honey, what did you find at May's today?" Wife: "Oh, I found these hilarious poodles AND they were on clearance!" Well, that is what MY conversation would have sounded like.
I am now inspired to do some kitschy felt art. I just need the time, oh, and real windows in my room too would help inspire me!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Misspent Toilet Money

If you can consider spending a considerable amount of time digging in the back of closets a vacation then I have returned from vacation!
We did get to do some sight seeing stuff though it was cold and rainy/snowy most of the time.

I did go to Denver with a goal in mind to scrounge the salvage stores to find an antique toilet. I did get to one next to an antique shop which had no toilets older than 1985. My next mistake was to go into the antique shop as I "accidentally" spent the money I had set aside for said antique toilet. 

Oops! But it's cat approved! 

I took a fancy to these chairs a few years ago. Everyone knows I am no stranger to antique stores, thrift stores, garage sales etc. around here and I have been looking for one of these chairs for probably 2+ years. I have never even seen an overpriced knock-off. Did any of these ever get to Nebraska?? 
The day before we had gone into a retro furniture store and they had a Plycraft one for $325 with dirty, ugly 90's, tweedy pink and white upholstery and another knock-off done in new black upholstery with no price tag. So this day I was excited to see this one still with its original upholstery at a price I could consider without being afraid to actually use the chair. It is, of course, a knock-off. I am not sure who made it as there is only a small corner of the label intact. I am sure I will never see a real Eames one, much less at a price I want to spend so this one makes me happy. I know it's currently the trendy thing to own but I like it and it is comfortable.
As for the record stand. I can't take my grandparent's awesome pink bathroom with my grandpa's custom cabinets but I did manage to get a piece from his TV salvage era. This was their console television which could be conveniently hidden behind the roller doors. The television went out so he tossed out the TV (or used the parts), built some drawers, an insert and it became their record and photo album cabinet. I haven't decided if it will house my records or it might get a shelf insert and become our entertainment cabinet. The hot pink is staying either way!